PES 105 – General Astronomy – Exam #3
The Solar System; The Planets and Moons; Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
Test Instructions : More than 100 points are available, but maximum score is 100 points.
Section I – General Questions
Each problem in this section is worth 2 points
1.
What causes the Cassini division in Saturn’s ring system?
A. Electrical charges push the rings apart, creating a gap
B. The tidal force from Saturn
C. The repeated pull from Mimas, which orbits Saturn
with a period twice that of any particles would have
orbited in the Cassini division
2.
Astronomers believe that the most likely source of Jovian
planet ring material is:
A. Material left over from planetary formation
B. Captured material from other planets
C. Moons breaking up within the Roche limit
3.
4.
Particles of space dust that are interacting brightly with
Earth’s atmosphere are called:
A. Meteoroids
B. Meteors
C. Meteorites
Which of the following explains the fact that the Jovian
planets have overwhelmingly more hydrogen and helium
than the terrestrial planets?
A. Hydrogen and helium were not present in the central
part of the solar nebula
B. The spin of the solar nebula dispersed the gases to the
outer part of the disk
C. The higher temperatures near the center of the solar
nebula prevented the condensation of hydrogen and
helium in the inner part of the disk
D. The escape velocity was higher near the Sun.
5.
Which of the following is true of the terrestrial planets?
A. They are composed of mainly rock and iron
B. They have clearly-defined solid surfaces
C. They are small compared to Jovian planets
D. All of the above.
6.
Which planet has about the same mass as the rest of the
material inside the asteroid belt?
A. Venus
B. Earth
C. Mars
7.
8.
These asteroids orbit the sun 60o ahead and behind Jupiter
A. Kuiper belt
B. Apollo asteroids
C. Trojan asteroids
Round planetary orbits and their similar tilt support which
model of solar system formation?
A. Condensation Model
B. Accretion Model
C. Bohr-Rutherford Model
9.
Which of the following is a common characteristic of
the Jovian planets?
A. Mostly composed of hydrogen and helium
B. Thick atmosphere
C. Lack of clearly defined solid surface
D. Ring systems and satellites
E. All of the above
10. Pluto and Charon are unique in the solar systems in
that the orbital period of the satellite equals the rotation
period of the planet. The synchronous rotation is the
result of tidal interaction.
A. True
B. False
11. The tail of a comet always points _____.
A. Ahead of the comet
B. Behind the comet
C. Away from the Sun
D. Toward the Sun.
12. This object has by far the most mass in the entire solar
system
A. Jupiter
B. The Sun
C. The asteroids
13. According to the nebular hypothesis, which of the
following sequences of events are chronologically
correct?
A. Solar nebula, interstellar cloud, collisions between
planetesimals, accretion, planets
B. Interstellar cloud, solar nebula, accretion,
collisions between planetesimals, planets
C. Interstellar cloud, accretion, solar nebula,
collisions between planetesimals, planets
D. Accretion, solar nebula, interstellar cloud,
collisions between planets, planetesimals
14. The Apollo asteroids is a group of asteroids that:
A. Cross the Earth’s orbit
B. Travel on Jupiter’s orbit
C. Travel between Saturn and Uranus
D. Orbit in the Kirkwood gaps
15. The solar nebula is the disk of _____ from which the
planets formed.
A. Gas
B. Dust
C. Gas and dust
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PES 105 – General Astronomy – Exam #3
The Solar System; The Planets and Moons; Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
Section II - Moon Facts
Each question in this section is worth 1 point
16. Ganymede orbits which planet?
A. Jupiter
B. Saturn
C. Neptune
17. Fact about Ganymede:
A. Largest moon in solar system
B. Retrograde orbit
C. Current volcanic activity
18. Io orbits which planet?
A. Jupiter
B. Saturn
C. Mars
19. Fact about Io:
A. Retrograde orbit
B. Current volcanic activity
C. Visited by man
20. Triton orbits which planet?
A. Saturn
B. Neptune
C. Jupiter
21. Fact about Triton:
A. Current volcanic activity
B. Retrograde 6 day orbit, or month
C. Largest moon relative to its planet
22. Luna orbits which planet?
A. Mars
B. Jupiter
C. Earth
23. Fact about Luna:
A. Retrograde orbit
B. Visited by man
C. Has crater almost ¼ it size; causes
Cassini Division
24. Europa orbits which planet?
A. Jupiter
B. Saturn
C. Uranus
25. Fact about Europa:
A. Smooth ice crust, liquid ice ocean
B. Has methane atmosphere
C. 8 hour orbit (month), name = “fear”
26. Titan orbits which planet?
A. Jupiter
B. Saturn
C. Mars
27. Fact about Titan:
A. Smooth ice crust, liquid ice ocean
B. Retrograde orbit
C. Has methane atmosphere
28. Phobos orbits which planet?
A. Pluto
B. Venus
C. Mars
29. Fact about Phobos:
A. Smooth ice crust, liquid ice ocean
B. Has methane atmosphere
C. 8 hour orbit (month), name = “fear”
30. Charon orbits which planet?
A. Pluto
B. Saturn
C. Mars
31. Fact about Charon:
A. Largest moon relative to its planet
B. 8 hour orbit (month), name = “fear”
C. Visited by man
32. Mimas orbits which planet?
A. Jupiter
B. Saturn
C. Mars
33. Fact about Mimas:
A. Current volcanic activity
B. Has methane atmosphere
C. Has crater almost ¼ it size; causes
Cassini Division
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PES 105 – General Astronomy – Exam #3
The Solar System; The Planets and Moons; Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
Section III - Ranked Lists
Each question in this section is worth 1 point
Average Density
34. Densest planet (5.5 g/cm3 )
A. Mars
B. Earth
C. Venus
39. 6th densest planet (1.64 g/cm3 )
A. Neptune
B. Jupiter
C. Saturn
35. 2nd
A.
B.
C.
40. 7th densest planet (1.32 g/cm3 )
A. Neptune
B. Uranus
C. Jupiter
densest planet (5.44 g/cm3 )
Mercury
Earth
Venus
36. 3rd densest planet (5.25 g/cm3 )
A. Mars
B. Earth
C. Venus
41. 8th densest planet (1.3 g/cm3 )
A. Saturn
B. Jupiter
C. Neptune
37. 4th densest planet (3.9 g/cm3 )
A. Mercury
B. Venus
C. Mars
42. Least dense planet (0.7 g/cm3 )
A. Pluto
B. Saturn
C. Jupiter
38. 5th densest planet (2.1 g/cm3 )
A. Pluto
B. Mars
C. Mercury
Size (Radius)
43. Largest planet
A. Earth
B. Saturn
C. Jupiter
48. 6th largest planet
A. Mars
B. Earth
C. Venus
44. 2nd
A.
B.
C.
largest planet
Saturn
Neptune
Uranus
49. 7th largest planet
A. Mercury
B. Mars
C. Pluto
45. 3rd largest planet
A. Saturn
B. Uranus
C. Neptune
50. 8th largest planet
A. Mercury
B. Mars
C. Pluto
46. 4th largest planet
A. Earth
B. Uranus
C. Neptune
51. Smallest planet
A. Mercury
B. Mars
C. Pluto
47. 5th largest planet
A. Earth
B. Mars
C. Venus
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PES 105 – General Astronomy – Exam #3
The Solar System; The Planets and Moons; Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
Average Distance from Sun
52. Closest planet to sun
A. Mercury
B. Earth
C. Venus
57. 6th
A.
B.
C.
closest planet to sun
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
53. 2nd closest planet to sun
A. Jupiter
B. Earth
C. Venus
58. 7th
A.
B.
C.
closest planet to sun
Saturn
Neptune
Uranus
54. 3rd closest planet to sun
A. Mars
B. Earth
C. Mercury
59. 8th closest planet to sun
A. Neptune
B. Uranus
C. Pluto
55. 4th
A.
B.
C.
closest planet to sun
Mars
Jupiter
Venus
60. Farthest planet from sun
A. Neptune
B. Uranus
C. Pluto
56. 5th
A.
B.
C.
closest planet to sun
Neptune
Jupiter
Mars
Section IV – Planetary Symbols
Each problem in this section is worth 1 point
Choose the symbol for each astronomical object
Astronomical Object
Symbol
61. Venus
A.?
B.?
C.?
62. Mars
A.?
B.?
C.?
63. Uranus
A.?
B.?
C. ⊕
64. Saturn
A.?
B.?
C.?
65. Earth
A.?
B. ⊕
C.?
66. Sol (The Sun)
A.?
B.?
C.?
67. Luna (The Moon)
A.?
B.?
C.?
68. Mercury
A.?
B.?
C.?
69. Neptune
A. ⊕
B.?
C.?
70. Jupiter
A.?
B. ⊕
C.?
71. Pluto
A.?
B.?
C.?
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PES 105 – General Astronomy – Exam #3
The Solar System; The Planets and Moons; Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
Section V - Planet Fact Matching
Name________________
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Sand dunes and evidence of erosion on surface
Cassini spacecraft ends up mission here
Galileo spacecraft ended up mission here
Rings have “shepherding moons”
Light transit time is over 5 hours
Has scarps due to alternate heating/cooling
Tidally solar synchronized local day and year
Has 18 large named moons
Discovered by Adams and Leverrier from
gravitational effects on Uranus
Surface water ice sublimates to water vapor
Galileo saw rings as “ears”
Solar day is longer that its year
Solar day varies from 17 hours up to years.
Most extreme variation in surface temp.
Temporarily had Great Dark Spot
Has most moons of solar system
Has two sunrises, sunsets in some places
Jovian planet with no atmospheric banding
Olympus Mons (largest volcano) is here
Has largest moon relative to its own size
Never been visited by any spacecraft
“Canals” or channels once thought visible
Densest atmosphere at surface
Most extensive ring system
Has Great Red Spot (centuries-old storm)
Greatest eccentricity of the planets
Hellas Basin (larger than Alaska)
Explored by Russian Venera spacecraft
Hottest surface temperature
Current conduit between Io has 5 million amps
2nd highest orbit tilt, 2nd highest eccentricity
Moons named after characters of English Lit.
Moon and planet are tidally locked together
Has only two moons
Hottest core temperature (about 30,000 o K)
Has highest speed windstorms in solar system
Moons named after ocean demi- gods
Has a solar day almost the length of Earth’s
Tharsis Mons mountain range
Largest orbit tilt
Moon Triton has retrograde orbit
Venus
Fact
(each fact is associated with only one planet)
Mercury
Each correctly identified fact in this section is worth 1 point
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Fact
(each fact is associated with only one planet)
Mercury
Venus
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
Exhibits relativistic motion
Planet with axis tilted almost toward sun
Smallest planet
Has shortest solar day
Explored by Viking, Pathfinder, Sojourner
Moons named after lovers of this god
Has polar ice caps (one water, one CO2 )
Evidence of large liquid flow on surface
Rotates opposite its orbit (retrograde, W to E)
Shoemaker-Levy comet impacted it
The Red Planet (due to iron oxide rust)
Most powerful magnetic field in solar system
Named after king of the Roman gods
Fastest orbit, shortest year
May be escaped moon of Neptune
Moon Miranda has big cliffs, patchwork surface
Largest bulge at equator
2nd densest, 2nd hottest surface, 2nd smallest
Experiences sulfuric acid rain
Has only one moon
Least dense planet
Has Galilean moons
Most powerful radio emissions in solar system
Thin CO2 atmosphere
Clouds totally obscure surface
Run-away greenhouse effect causes heat levels
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Fact
(each fact is associated with
more than one planet)
Mercury
Venus
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn
Uranus
Neptune
Pluto
PES 105 – General Astronomy – Exam #3
The Solar System; The Planets and Moons; Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
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Have surfaces but no atmosphere
Have no moons
Have a carbon dioxide atmosphere
Lead would melt on their surface
Have volcanic features (current or extinct)
We’ve landed a spacecraft on their surface
Are sometimes farthest from the sun
Radiate more energy than they receive
Voyager I and II visited them (fly-by)
Jovian planets with atmospheric banding
Jovian planets with rings
6